Author Topic: New Hampshire - the place for me?  (Read 15380 times)

MilStachian

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 94
  • Location: New England
New Hampshire - the place for me?
« on: October 26, 2014, 02:11:46 PM »
Mustachians,
My wife and I are considering moving to New Hampshire in spring 2016.  We've been to Franconia several times, we've vacationed in a few other spots, and have family in the area.  We think the people, lifestyle, and cost of living match what we're looking for.

If you could pick any town to live in, which one, and why?  Any towns rate higher on the Mustachian Scale of Livability than others? 

iris lily

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5672
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #1 on: October 26, 2014, 02:15:27 PM »
Part of that Libertarian movement there, are ye?  ;) The Ron Swanson gif is a tip-off.

DH and I entertained that notion for a while. I love the historic houses and I check Historic New Hampshire Real estate often and there is an completely adorable cottage in Franconia: 

http://www.historicprop.com/historicprop/default.aspx

Our friend, who will likely move to NH, likes the Wolfboro area.

But I can't help you since I live in the Midwest.
« Last Edit: October 26, 2014, 02:19:09 PM by iris lily »

rabbit

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 8
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #2 on: October 26, 2014, 04:10:40 PM »
Are you planning to be FIRE when you move to NH? The best paying jobs are located in the southern part of the state.

MilStachian

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 94
  • Location: New England
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #3 on: October 26, 2014, 06:23:45 PM »
Thanks everyone for the replies.

We won't be FIRE just yet.  We'll need to work for a few more years.  We were hoping to find that ideal "FIRE/Moustachian" town that we could set as our goal. 

Great point about jobs being in the southern portion of the state; we'll have to keep digging.

Petestache

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 1
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #4 on: October 26, 2014, 07:44:26 PM »
I grew up in Londonderry and wouldn't mind moving back to NH but DC is as far north as my wife is willing to move due to weather.  Portsmouth is great and the Keene area on the other side of the state is nice as well.  Both have easy access to the mountains and the city, as well as access to employment.

UnleashHell

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8881
  • Age: 56
  • Location: Florida
  • Chapter IV - A New ... er.. something
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #5 on: October 27, 2014, 04:28:11 AM »
only go there if you enjoy shoveling snow. lots of snow....
remember snomageddon in DC? well NH got twice that amount and just carried on.
want exercise? you'll get more by carrying all the wood for your stove. Like electricity? In the ice storm a few years ago 3/4 of the state lost it. in the middle of winter. we had friends that were without for 2 weeks.

Its a great place but be prepared for harsh winters. and high property taxes. and yeah - jobs in the south and nowhere else.

I did 12 winters there. Glad I lived there but its not somewhere I'd want to live forever.

PS - as per about - Portsmouth is cool- I like it there.

UnleashHell

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8881
  • Age: 56
  • Location: Florida
  • Chapter IV - A New ... er.. something
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #6 on: October 27, 2014, 04:32:30 AM »
one more thing - if you do move there - get a house that has a south facing driveway that slopes down to the road.. that way you can have the thermal power of the sun working for you during the day and clearing your driveway... my driveway got no sun and it was painful to keep clearing it...

golden1

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1541
  • Location: MA
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #7 on: October 27, 2014, 05:43:43 AM »
I think about retiring there sometimes - it really is quite lovely.  We have gone camping there as a family a few times. 

Property taxes can be rather high, but house prices anywhere outside of the southern part of the state aren't too bad. 

nereo

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 17499
  • Location: Just south of Canada
    • Here's how you can support science today:
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #8 on: October 27, 2014, 06:24:46 AM »
MilStachian - I'd make sure to check property taxes throughout the state.  In NH School taxes come from property taxes, and areas can vary wildly from one spot to the next.
www.revenue.nh.gov
SO's from NH, and we both love the south-western portion of the state - Keene, Sutton, Peterborough, etc. 
the seacoast is nice but densely populated (for NH) and expensive.

I don't care for either Manchester (state nickname "Manch-Vegas") or Nashua ("Trashua") ... but to each their own.

N

nereo

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 17499
  • Location: Just south of Canada
    • Here's how you can support science today:
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #9 on: October 27, 2014, 06:36:15 AM »
I'm guessing you've already seen it since you live in the DC area, but WaPo ran a story recently summarizing data from a group called the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).  Summarizing:  NH ranked tops overall out of all 50 states + DC, and in the top quartile in all 9 categories

here's the link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/10/07/why-the-south-is-the-worst-place-to-live-in-the-u-s-in-10-charts/

RFAAOATB

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 654
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #10 on: October 27, 2014, 04:19:24 PM »
Manchester is the biggest city, however due to the tax structure there are a lot of people who live in New Hampshire and work in Massachusetts.  Their plan is to buy a house in Salem or Nashua and commute your way to Boston for work.  There's park and rides available for that purpose.

Your best bet is to move closest to your work or Manchester so that you are close to everything not work.

MilStachian

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 94
  • Location: New England
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #11 on: October 28, 2014, 06:31:51 PM »
Thanks everyone for the great feedback. My wife is an architect and I am (likely) going to leave the active duty Army sometime early 2016. My wife and I are interested in visiting any towns Mustachians recommend. The goal would be to find that Mustachian Heaven and telecommute. Of course that may be a pipe dream, but we have to have something to aim at.

kimmarg

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 750
  • Location: Northern New England
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #12 on: October 28, 2014, 07:07:32 PM »
Thanks everyone for the great feedback. My wife is an architect and I am (likely) going to leave the active duty Army sometime early 2016. My wife and I are interested in visiting any towns Mustachians recommend. The goal would be to find that Mustachian Heaven and telecommute. Of course that may be a pipe dream, but we have to have something to aim at.

Native NHer temporarily displaced into Maine. Agree with everything that's been said. Beautiful but few good paying jobs up north (= north of Concord). Note if you plan to telecommute I'm assuming you'll want high speed internet... Which is not a guarantee by any means in rural areas. (Specifically I think you need to be within 2 miles of a phone switch, cable is even harder to find)

Peterborough is a nice mix of close to jobs in the south and still a nh  feel. I would also check out the seacoast. Portsmouth is a great small city as are Dover and Durham (if you can stand the UNH crowd)

Utility costs as not at all mustachian. Electric rates are some of the highest in the country and most homes heat with heating oil (cost $3k/year for me, which is middle of the road up here. Wood is cheaper but you'll spend all summer stacking)
only go there if you enjoy shoveling snow. lots of snow....
remember snomageddon in DC? well NH got twice that amount and just carried on.
This! We just carry on in snow up here. Best plowing bar none. expect the interstates to be clear within 6hrs of storm ending, with one lane open at all times. Didn't appreciate this until I moved away and found out what sorry excuse of a job other states do.
« Last Edit: October 28, 2014, 07:09:08 PM by kimmarg »

pdxvandal

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 501
  • Location: Earth
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #13 on: October 28, 2014, 09:40:22 PM »
Portsmouth is not a very Mustachian place to live. Very expensive real estate, unless you can afford a 500k 2 bed/1 bath. Beautiful place, but it's been discovered by non-NH folks, so summertime is chock full of tourists.

Dover or Manch-Vegas would be a far cheaper option, but not as "cool." Winters are also terrible, unless you like sub-30 degree temps and ice for 5 months straight.


dude

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2369
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #14 on: October 29, 2014, 08:49:27 AM »
Are you planning to be FIRE when you move to NH? The best paying jobs are located in the southern part of the state.
The *only* jobs are in the southern part of the state, practically speaking.  Coos county (the northern 1/4 of the state) is mostly empty, and what's there are former mill towns that no longer have functioning mills, or that run at a much lower capacity than they did 15 years ago.  Absolutely gorgeous territory though.  Fantastic hiking, skiing, snowmobiling, etc.  If you wanted to sell moose tours to the tourists, or work at a ski area, it would be a great spot.

Just below that would be the North Conway area, which thrives on tourist dollars too.  Lots of shopping, more skiing and resorts, etc.

From Plymouth on down, there's more industry.

If I were to pick a spot needing to still work full time, I'd aim for Manchester, Dover, or maybe someplace like Hanover.  If I wanted good skiing and hiking I'd look around Conway or maybe a sleepy little hiker hotspot like Gorham (if you can stand the property taxes).

Coos County now hosts a large federal prison (FCI Berlin), which is still hiring.  Fed pay and benefits go a pretty long way in that part of the state.  North Conway is beautiful, though they've done a very poor job of controlling the commercial development along the main thoroughfare (White Mountain Highway), letting stupid "outlet malls" proliferate.  Other very touristy attractions, too.  Home prices can be a little high in parts of North Conway (there are a lot of vacation homes there). Portsmouth, on the southern coast, is a great place.  Close to the ocean and beaches, not far from Boston and Portland, ME, and a reasonable drive to the mountains, and it's got urban amenities. I also know folks who live in Nashua, close to the MA border.  They like it.  Pretty cheap up there, and plenty of amenities.

dude

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2369
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #15 on: October 29, 2014, 08:55:34 AM »
This! We just carry on in snow up here. Best plowing bar none. expect the interstates to be clear within 6hrs of storm ending, with one lane open at all times. Didn't appreciate this until I moved away and found out what sorry excuse of a job other states do.

Absolutely!  I can confirm this!  The contrast between NH plowing and MA (where I live) plowing is stark, and you see it immediately when you cross the border!  Love NH snow removal!

dude

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2369
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #16 on: October 29, 2014, 08:59:57 AM »
I am (likely) going to leave the active duty Army sometime early 2016.

With your veteran status, you will get preference for hiring in Fed prison job I mentioned above, just in case you are considering Coos County (which is just north of Mt. Washington/N. Conway).  But be advised, the amount of snow up that way is considerably greater than middle and southern parts of the state.  They get a LOT of snow in Berlin.

Public Hermit

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 85
  • Age: 34
  • Location: New Hampshire
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #17 on: October 29, 2014, 09:49:17 AM »
I live in Manchester. Manchester is a convenient place to live but it sucks in a lot of ways too. Driving around the city is terrible because the roads are poorly engineered IMO. I rent so the high property taxes only affect me indirectly. Even so, the rents are not that bad compared to the outskirts of the city. There's a good amount of jobs in the southern part of the state. The winters really suck hard but all in all, it's a decent place to live. Beach & mountains are a short drive away. There's a fair amount of nightlife within walking distance of my location. I use this to my advantage, but I don't go overboard because of my frugality.

Where I live, it is a five minute walk to the gym, Dunkins, Rite-Aid, several gas stations, several bars & pubs, and Market Basket. When I retire, I plan to move out of New Hampshire though.

kimmarg

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 750
  • Location: Northern New England
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #18 on: October 29, 2014, 09:17:44 PM »
I am (likely) going to leave the active duty Army sometime early 2016.

With your veteran status, you will get preference for hiring in Fed prison job I mentioned above, just in case you are considering Coos County (which is just north of Mt. Washington/N. Conway).  But be advised, the amount of snow up that way is considerably greater than middle and southern parts of the state.  They get a LOT of snow in Berlin.

Portsmouth Naval shipyard would also be a good idea as a veteran preference federal job. They are paid on the Boston pay scale too, so a good deal!

iris lily

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5672
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #19 on: October 29, 2014, 09:22:43 PM »
I spend a lot of time looking online at New Hampshire real estate, and Portsmouth is ridiculously expensive. I wouldn't consider living there.
« Last Edit: October 30, 2014, 08:38:59 AM by iris lily »

timmoney

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 40
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #20 on: October 29, 2014, 09:34:12 PM »
just be warned youll probably have to watch those god forsaken red sox in the summer

UnleashHell

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8881
  • Age: 56
  • Location: Florida
  • Chapter IV - A New ... er.. something
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #21 on: October 30, 2014, 05:07:09 AM »
I live in Manchester. Manchester is a convenient place to live but it sucks in a lot of ways too. Driving around the city is terrible because the roads are poorly engineered IMO. I rent so the high property taxes only affect me indirectly. Even so, the rents are not that bad compared to the outskirts of the city. There's a good amount of jobs in the southern part of the state. The winters really suck hard but all in all, it's a decent place to live. Beach & mountains are a short drive away. There's a fair amount of nightlife within walking distance of my location. I use this to my advantage, but I don't go overboard because of my frugality.

Where I live, it is a five minute walk to the gym, Dunkins, Rite-Aid, several gas stations, several bars & pubs, and Market Basket. When I retire, I plan to move out of New Hampshire though.

So Friday nights on the beer specials at murphys then :D

hybrid

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1688
  • Age: 57
  • Location: Richmond, Virginia
  • A hybrid of MMM and thoughtful consumer.
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #22 on: October 30, 2014, 08:47:15 AM »
Milstachian, are you really Scott Brown in disguise????

Public Hermit

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 85
  • Age: 34
  • Location: New Hampshire
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #23 on: October 30, 2014, 09:02:43 AM »
I live in Manchester. Manchester is a convenient place to live but it sucks in a lot of ways too. Driving around the city is terrible because the roads are poorly engineered IMO. I rent so the high property taxes only affect me indirectly. Even so, the rents are not that bad compared to the outskirts of the city. There's a good amount of jobs in the southern part of the state. The winters really suck hard but all in all, it's a decent place to live. Beach & mountains are a short drive away. There's a fair amount of nightlife within walking distance of my location. I use this to my advantage, but I don't go overboard because of my frugality.

Where I live, it is a five minute walk to the gym, Dunkins, Rite-Aid, several gas stations, several bars & pubs, and Market Basket. When I retire, I plan to move out of New Hampshire though.

So Friday nights on the beer specials at murphys then :D

You better believe it!

UnleashHell

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8881
  • Age: 56
  • Location: Florida
  • Chapter IV - A New ... er.. something
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #24 on: October 30, 2014, 09:14:22 AM »
I live in Manchester. Manchester is a convenient place to live but it sucks in a lot of ways too. Driving around the city is terrible because the roads are poorly engineered IMO. I rent so the high property taxes only affect me indirectly. Even so, the rents are not that bad compared to the outskirts of the city. There's a good amount of jobs in the southern part of the state. The winters really suck hard but all in all, it's a decent place to live. Beach & mountains are a short drive away. There's a fair amount of nightlife within walking distance of my location. I use this to my advantage, but I don't go overboard because of my frugality.

Where I live, it is a five minute walk to the gym, Dunkins, Rite-Aid, several gas stations, several bars & pubs, and Market Basket. When I retire, I plan to move out of New Hampshire though.

So Friday nights on the beer specials at murphys then :D

You better believe it!

Its tough to find a better deal than that that place to kick off the weekend. One of the few things I miss about manchvegas.
When I visit I make sure that I’m there on a Friday to take advantage of the drink and food deals :D

MilStachian

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 94
  • Location: New England
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #25 on: October 30, 2014, 10:00:49 AM »
Milstachian, are you really Scott Brown in disguise????
??

Public Hermit

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 85
  • Age: 34
  • Location: New Hampshire
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #26 on: October 30, 2014, 10:20:20 AM »
I live in Manchester. Manchester is a convenient place to live but it sucks in a lot of ways too. Driving around the city is terrible because the roads are poorly engineered IMO. I rent so the high property taxes only affect me indirectly. Even so, the rents are not that bad compared to the outskirts of the city. There's a good amount of jobs in the southern part of the state. The winters really suck hard but all in all, it's a decent place to live. Beach & mountains are a short drive away. There's a fair amount of nightlife within walking distance of my location. I use this to my advantage, but I don't go overboard because of my frugality.

Where I live, it is a five minute walk to the gym, Dunkins, Rite-Aid, several gas stations, several bars & pubs, and Market Basket. When I retire, I plan to move out of New Hampshire though.

So Friday nights on the beer specials at murphys then :D

You better believe it!

Its tough to find a better deal than that that place to kick off the weekend. One of the few things I miss about manchvegas.
When I visit I make sure that I’m there on a Friday to take advantage of the drink and food deals :D

Half priced appetizers between 4-7. $4 mussels are pretty much unheard of! They used to have $1 domestic drafts on tap Monday nights, not sure if they did away with that.

ivyhedge

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 290
  • Location: United States of Farse
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #27 on: October 30, 2014, 10:45:42 AM »
Mustachians,
My wife and I are considering moving to New Hampshire in spring 2016.


Be careful. We left strong jobs in DC six years ago because we wanted to expand our options and walk about a bit more, so to speak. We live in Boston (right in the metro) and I have routine contact with Portsmouth, NH because of work. When we first moved here, we went all over NH: lakes, trails, Presidentials, leaf peeping, long drives, etc. Loved it.


But the longer we've been here the more we've soured on the state. It's difficult to say why, exactly. I tend to think that there's something to "been there, done that", but there must be something else, too. I don't find the infrastructure particularly friendly, or advanced, many folks with whom I work/communicate are poorly traveled, seem to have little sense of wonder, and are sadly proud of both (I realize this hardly describes everyone, but I'm talking about ~40 people so it's a reasonable depiction of my experience). We often feel out of place.


When we realized this (was almost a night/day event), we removed the offer we had on a stunning house in Rye. We just discussed the other night how we feel it's one of the singular best decisions we've ever made: not to restrict ourselves to NH.


We are looking to return to DC. We miss its international nature, but also its ease of slipping into obscurity in a land where many are far better known than we (we don't seek notoriety). While you might say "that won't apply to us", it might: sticking out could fairly easily result in getting hammered down. And although NH isn't as homogeneous as some depict, a lack of acceptance can show up stunningly quickly when you thought you understood folks' convictions: hence the state's reputation for "independent" thought, I suppose.


But mine is only one opinion, and others on this thread will certainly disagree with me. Your call, but at least there are some parallels with our travels (and work, it sounds).

Siobhan

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 113
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #28 on: October 30, 2014, 10:49:34 AM »
Lived in Wolfboro for a time...couldn't take the snow, nothing like having to pay someone to come and plow your ROOF.  It's a GREAT place spring through fall, winter though...Winterfell's got nothing on NH lol

UnleashHell

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8881
  • Age: 56
  • Location: Florida
  • Chapter IV - A New ... er.. something
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #29 on: October 30, 2014, 12:39:15 PM »
I live in Manchester. Manchester is a convenient place to live but it sucks in a lot of ways too. Driving around the city is terrible because the roads are poorly engineered IMO. I rent so the high property taxes only affect me indirectly. Even so, the rents are not that bad compared to the outskirts of the city. There's a good amount of jobs in the southern part of the state. The winters really suck hard but all in all, it's a decent place to live. Beach & mountains are a short drive away. There's a fair amount of nightlife within walking distance of my location. I use this to my advantage, but I don't go overboard because of my frugality.

Where I live, it is a five minute walk to the gym, Dunkins, Rite-Aid, several gas stations, several bars & pubs, and Market Basket. When I retire, I plan to move out of New Hampshire though.

So Friday nights on the beer specials at murphys then :D

You better believe it!

Its tough to find a better deal than that that place to kick off the weekend. One of the few things I miss about manchvegas.
When I visit I make sure that I’m there on a Friday to take advantage of the drink and food deals :D

Half priced appetizers between 4-7. $4 mussels are pretty much unheard of! They used to have $1 domestic drafts on tap Monday nights, not sure if they did away with that.

Yeah – I’m in Florida now – I can’t even get a lb of mussels from the store for $4….

Monday night drinking is a bad thing..normally.



Re NH as a whole – it is a decent state but with the attitude of the old timers! It takes a long long time to change things… I think that’s what people who stay there like about it.

hybrid

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1688
  • Age: 57
  • Location: Richmond, Virginia
  • A hybrid of MMM and thoughtful consumer.
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #30 on: October 30, 2014, 12:40:59 PM »
Milstachian, are you really Scott Brown in disguise????
??

Scott Brown is carpetbagging for a Senate seat there, much like Hillary did in New York several years ago.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/29/scott-brown-outsourcing_n_6070386.html

MilStachian

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 94
  • Location: New England
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #31 on: October 30, 2014, 04:01:30 PM »
Milstachian, are you really Scott Brown in disguise????
??

Scott Brown is carpetbagging for a Senate seat there, much like Hillary did in New York several years ago.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/29/scott-brown-outsourcing_n_6070386.html
So...me wanting to live a sustainable Mustachian lifestyle in a beautiful state is similar how?

Public Hermit

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 85
  • Age: 34
  • Location: New Hampshire
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #32 on: October 31, 2014, 09:08:36 AM »
I live in Manchester. Manchester is a convenient place to live but it sucks in a lot of ways too. Driving around the city is terrible because the roads are poorly engineered IMO. I rent so the high property taxes only affect me indirectly. Even so, the rents are not that bad compared to the outskirts of the city. There's a good amount of jobs in the southern part of the state. The winters really suck hard but all in all, it's a decent place to live. Beach & mountains are a short drive away. There's a fair amount of nightlife within walking distance of my location. I use this to my advantage, but I don't go overboard because of my frugality.

Where I live, it is a five minute walk to the gym, Dunkins, Rite-Aid, several gas stations, several bars & pubs, and Market Basket. When I retire, I plan to move out of New Hampshire though.

So Friday nights on the beer specials at murphys then :D

You better believe it!

Its tough to find a better deal than that that place to kick off the weekend. One of the few things I miss about manchvegas.
When I visit I make sure that I’m there on a Friday to take advantage of the drink and food deals :D

Half priced appetizers between 4-7. $4 mussels are pretty much unheard of! They used to have $1 domestic drafts on tap Monday nights, not sure if they did away with that.

Yeah – I’m in Florida now – I can’t even get a lb of mussels from the store for $4….

Monday night drinking is a bad thing..normally.



Re NH as a whole – it is a decent state but with the attitude of the old timers! It takes a long long time to change things… I think that’s what people who stay there like about it.

I agree. I always work both jobs on Mondays so I can never go anyway. I'm more of a weekend drinker...

hybrid

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1688
  • Age: 57
  • Location: Richmond, Virginia
  • A hybrid of MMM and thoughtful consumer.
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #33 on: October 31, 2014, 09:40:44 AM »
Milstachian, are you really Scott Brown in disguise????
??

Scott Brown is carpetbagging for a Senate seat there, much like Hillary did in New York several years ago.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/29/scott-brown-outsourcing_n_6070386.html
So...me wanting to live a sustainable Mustachian lifestyle in a beautiful state is similar how?

You want to move to NH, Scott Brown also famously wants to move to NH.... oh, never mind.

CommonCents

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2363
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #34 on: October 31, 2014, 09:55:02 AM »
I lived there 7-8th grade (Dad was Captain of a ship in Portsmouth for the Coast Guard) and went to Dartmouth College in Hanover.  My folks chose to retire in Sunapee (leaving their last posting in CA for this).  My sister moved back from CA to be near Manchester, in Bedford.  And my (second) cousins have lived for years in Salem.

Thoughts: Yes it's cold.  I hope you visited in the winter before you decided to move there.  You know it's an unmustachian place if there are a lot of snow birds.  Exhibit A: Sunapee, where my folks live, particularly their particular housing development.  Probably don't want to live there...  (Although they are reasonable mustachian themselves, their property taxes in that area are pretty high.)

Jobs: Look near Manchester, Nashua, Portsmouth area, border of NH, or Hanover
Note that you don't actually need to live in those cities.  We lived in Lee when dad was in Portsmouth (he'd be gone for a few months at a time, so no commute then).  Much smaller community.  You can live in NH such as Salem and commute to Boston, but that's pretty brutal commute.  I'd suggest just finding an affordable spot in Boston instead if that's what you're thinking you would want to do.

I disagree with Ivyhedge about the people that are there.  I think (like many places) it really matters where you end up settling.  e.g. Hanover - folks there are widely traveled and curious.  But sure, a very small town is likely to be more settled and provincial.

Let me know if you have any specific questions.

RunHappy

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 560
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #35 on: October 31, 2014, 07:57:30 PM »
I'm moving there in a few weeks to live with my SO.  I've been there many times and love how many free/cheap things there are to do. 

MilStachian

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 94
  • Location: New England
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #36 on: November 01, 2014, 08:28:34 AM »
Milstachian, are you really Scott Brown in disguise????
??

Scott Brown is carpetbagging for a Senate seat there, much like Hillary did in New York several years ago.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/29/scott-brown-outsourcing_n_6070386.html
So...me wanting to live a sustainable Mustachian lifestyle in a beautiful state is similar how?

You want to move to NH, Scott Brown also famously wants to move to NH.... oh, never mind.


Guess I don't waste my time keeping up with politics very much.  :)


I lived there 7-8th grade (Dad was Captain of a ship in Portsmouth for the Coast Guard) and went to Dartmouth College in Hanover.  My folks chose to retire in Sunapee (leaving their last posting in CA for this).  My sister moved back from CA to be near Manchester, in Bedford.  And my (second) cousins have lived for years in Salem.

Thoughts: Yes it's cold.  I hope you visited in the winter before you decided to move there.  You know it's an unmustachian place if there are a lot of snow birds.  Exhibit A: Sunapee, where my folks live, particularly their particular housing development.  Probably don't want to live there...  (Although they are reasonable mustachian themselves, their property taxes in that area are pretty high.)

Jobs: Look near Manchester, Nashua, Portsmouth area, border of NH, or Hanover
Note that you don't actually need to live in those cities.  We lived in Lee when dad was in Portsmouth (he'd be gone for a few months at a time, so no commute then).  Much smaller community.  You can live in NH such as Salem and commute to Boston, but that's pretty brutal commute.  I'd suggest just finding an affordable spot in Boston instead if that's what you're thinking you would want to do.

I disagree with Ivyhedge about the people that are there.  I think (like many places) it really matters where you end up settling.  e.g. Hanover - folks there are widely traveled and curious.  But sure, a very small town is likely to be more settled and provincial.

Let me know if you have any specific questions.

Great point about spending time there during the winter.  We have family in Franconia that have offered to host us for a week or so.  We'll probably take them up on it to make sure it's what we're looking for.  My wife and I grew up in CT so we're not totally unfamiliar with snow.

Also neat point by both IvyHedge and CommonCents about small town attitudes.  I've experienced that as well, although in different parts of the country. 

The take-aways from everyone's comments see to be:
-NH isn't that Mustachian.  No sales/income tax helps, but higher property taxes in towns closest to jobs may off-set the advantage.
-Utility bills can be excessively high; be cautious about type of home heating we have.
-There are some crummy towns to live in (as there are everyone). 
-Biking to work is likely a no-go.

I appreciate everyone's suggestions, recommendations, and words of warning.  It's just what I had hoped for and will help my family make informed decisions about what's next.  Thanks!

NoraLenderbee

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1254
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #37 on: November 01, 2014, 09:54:36 AM »
Someone once told me that if you're thinking about moving to northern New England, make sure you visit in January . . . and again in April, when spring has come to other places but NNE is still locked in ice and the snow is all dirty. ;)

CommonCents

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2363
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #38 on: November 01, 2014, 02:46:52 PM »
OP, one more thing - I'm amazed at how much difference driving 2 hrs south gets you in terms of a warmer winter.  From driving Hanover/Sunapee to Boston, and successive drives.  Lived in Philly for 3 years and it totally astonished me how warm and dare I say, pleasant/reasonable the winters were!  So I'm just cautioning you that CT winters may be quite different than NH.  Definitely do the week in Francona in the dead of winter.  January is colder than Feb usually (it's just that by Feb we're tired of winter).

Bonus of NH: Activities like hiking, kayaking, cross-country skiing
If you do live near Hanover or such, enjoy the great college entertainment that is relatively cheap.

jexy103

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 124
  • Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #39 on: November 01, 2014, 08:18:43 PM »
I lived the first 24 years of my life in NH and miss it every day. Where do I live now? Hawaii.

The COL in NH isn't excellent for mustachians, but it does have a lot going for it. Others have mentioned no sales tax and no state income tax. Very helpful for younger mustachians, but not as advantageous for someone who's looking to buy a home, since most of the state's revenues come from property taxes. When looking for a home and a job, obviously look for a short commute. NH has several toll booths, so also be aware if any are between your work, your home, and where you like to spend your time. If you live in Merrimack but work in Nashua and like to ski up north, you'll hit a toll booth almost every day (twice!). I grew up in Manchester, and we hit the tolls south of Concord when we went skiing, and the tolls on the way to Nashua a few times a year. There's another set in Portsmouth, but I think I've driven through those fewer than 5 times in my life- those are positioned more to take advantage of Massachusetts drivers coming up into NH and Maine. ;-)

The falls are beautiful and there's tons of place to hike, kayak, bike, run, etc. There are hiking clubs that climb the 4,000+ footers and part of the Appalachian Trail goes through NH.

Winters are obviously a little harsh, but very pretty in their own way. Ice storms are extremely dangerous, but those days are some of the prettiest I've ever seen: no one outside, moonlight glittering through the ice on the bare tree branches, smooth snow as far as the eye can see because everyone is inside. I miss it. If you buy a condo, you'll have higher fees but the condo association typically takes care of snow removal of the driveways and sidewalks (though you're usually responsible for your own front walk and front steps/porch, so don't sell your shovel!). And you can ice skate on lakes and ponds- I'm amazed at how many people I've met who have never skated outside an ice rink. And NH has a lot of ski areas if you ski or snowboard (very unmustachian, but part of the fibre of my being).

Springs are awesome, partly because you appreciate them so much more after the winter. I miss the smell of fresh earth and the bright green buds on the trees, and there's a distinct earthy smell about a spring rain you don't get the rest of the year.

And summer is more comfortable than places to the south, but stock up on bug spray because the mosquitoes come out in force around sunset each night. NH has a whopping 13 miles of coastline and the ocean is pretty cold even in summer, but the lakes get comfortable.

NH is the place for me, and I look forward to moving back there some day. :-)

iris lily

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5672
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #40 on: November 03, 2014, 07:41:05 AM »
Someone once told me that if you're thinking about moving to northern New England, make sure you visit in January . . . and again in April, when spring has come to other places but NNE is still locked in ice and the snow is all dirty. ;)

This right here gives me pause.  While I would, theoretically, live in New Hampshire and like many aspects of it (and would likely go off to warmer climes in Jan/Feb) I now expect April to be full on gardening season.

If it's still cold, wet, dirty snow each April, fagedaboutit. I need daffodils and early iris to be up in April. I need to be able to work the soil in April.

Also, the NE has the red lily beetle problem plaguing lily crops, and that is a real concern to me.

kimmarg

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 750
  • Location: Northern New England
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #41 on: November 03, 2014, 08:02:15 PM »
Someone once told me that if you're thinking about moving to northern New England, make sure you visit in January . . . and again in April, when spring has come to other places but NNE is still locked in ice and the snow is all dirty. ;)

This right here gives me pause.  While I would, theoretically, live in New Hampshire and like many aspects of it (and would likely go off to warmer climes in Jan/Feb) I now expect April to be full on gardening season.

If it's still cold, wet, dirty snow each April, fagedaboutit. I need daffodils and early iris to be up in April. I need to be able to work the soil in April.

Also, the NE has the red lily beetle problem plaguing lily crops, and that is a real concern to me.
I planted kale and spinach into cold frames April 2. The snow melted around a week later. Went over 100 days of continuous snow cover this year. Grass dissapeared Dec 8 and reappeared April 11 or so.

HopefulMustache

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 76
Re: New Hampshire - the place for me?
« Reply #42 on: November 05, 2014, 09:03:03 AM »
The take-aways from everyone's comments see to be:
-NH isn't that Mustachian.  No sales/income tax helps, but higher property taxes in towns closest to jobs may off-set the advantage.
-Utility bills can be excessively high; be cautious about type of home heating we have.
-There are some crummy towns to live in (as there are everyone). 
-Biking to work is likely a no-go.

I appreciate everyone's suggestions, recommendations, and words of warning.  It's just what I had hoped for and will help my family make informed decisions about what's next.  Thanks!

This is a bit eye-opening for me too. Compared to a fairly high COL area around Boston, I had sort of figured crossing the border to NH would slash the COL significantly. While I'm sure it'd still be a dip, it sounds like one won't necessarily be any better off/mustachian in southern NH than in numerous lower COL areas in MA. Surprising, but worth reconsidering my assumptions. Thanks to those who have shared here.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!